Friends of Friends was started by Brett Simons, an Encinitas local, back in 2019 in the small beach town of San Diego. After being in the hat industry for most of his life, he wanted to create a hat that was local to the place he was so familiar in while giving back to organizations most important to him. Friends of Friends follows a lifestyle inspired by slow living, surf, and travel which can be seen in each unique piece. Manufactured in house, in North County San Diego, while importing slowly made, artisan hats. With each hat, an American- made cotton is sewn into the inside of the hat, creating a protective barrier against sweat and dirt from building up and damaging the inside of the hat.
The process of making each hat has shifted and changed since it's opening in 2019. in the beginning, Friends of Friends were designing and importing from artisans in Mexico but due to the pandemic, supply chains came to a halt but thereby inspired the brand to order a hat press from England and start manufacturing in house with. Each hat is made from ethically sourced materials around the world but mainly Ecuador and Guatemala and takes from 8-10 hours to weave by a single weaver. Friends of Friends uses 100% toquilla straw, a natural, vegetable fiber found in the endemic palm trees of Ecuador. The brand also sustainably sources 100% wool and palm from Guatemala making them durable as well as comfortable to wear on the beach all day.